


The Commune

by mta797



Category: The Streets of San Francisco
Genre: Angst, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:20:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23255344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mta797/pseuds/mta797
Summary: It was a dangerous assignment, dangerous for even the most seasoned cop. But Mike knew he needed someone much younger, someone whose face was not known, someone who could catch a possible serial killer. And Mike Stone found that fresh new face who was perfect for the job - a young SFPD Vice squad inspector named Steven Keller.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

The music created rainbow colors that swirled and danced around her as she swayed in time with the beat that flowed through her soul, making her one with the music. She could feel his lips brush against hers, like the soft, gentle wings of a butterfly, as his hands softly caressed her shoulders. She moaned and closed her eyes in eager anticipation as she felt his hands slowly moved up to her neck.

Opening her eyes in confusion, she stared at him through the frightened glazed eyes, unable to scream, unable to even breathe, as the hands around her throat squeezed tighter and tighter. She tried desperately to pull his hands away, to kick, to struggle, to break free but he was just too strong. Her last memory as the darkness engulfed her was the constant bass beat that flowed through her soul, making her one with the music until even the music was gone.

xxxxxx

Reaching for another folder, Kenny Mills looked up as he heard a soft rap on his office door a moment before it opened, and Mike Stone poked his head into his office and asked, "Got a couple of minutes, Kenny, for an old friend?"

Grinning as he pushed the folder away, the Vice Squad Lieutenant chuckled as he waved the other man in. "That depends Mike, on whether you remembered that you owe me…"

"A coffee and not from the pot that's been sitting all night," Mike smiled as he opened the door fully and entered the office, carrying two mugs. Handing one of the cups to Mills as his smile grew as he sat down on the chair in front of the well-worn wooden desk and announced proudly, "Strong black, no sugar."

"Yeah," Mills nodded, accepting the mug before taking a small sip. Sighing his appreciation of the strong flavored brew, he lowered the cup a little as he looked over the rim, suspiciously at his friend, "Okay Mike, I know that you haven't come all the way down here to Vice just for a social visit, so come on, spill, what's up?"

Mike sighed, placing his cup of coffee on the desk, "You're right Kenny, this isn't a social visit, I need your help."

"My help?" Kenny frowned as he placed the coffee cup on the desk in front of him and leaned forward, giving the Homicide lieutenant his full attention. "Of course, Mike, what do you need?"

"I guess you have heard about the murders of several young women whose bodies have all been in or washed up around the bay."

Kenny nodded, "The count is up to four or five so far, isn't it?"

"Six." Mike sighed softly, "All young women, aged between seventeen and twenty- eight, all had various hallucinogenic drugs in their systems, all were last known to be living on the Rancho Olympica hippie commune and all died from manual strangulation."

"That's the hippy commune up near Novato, isn't it?" Mills frowned.

"Yeah," Mike nodded, watching Kenny closely.

"Damn!" Mills murmured, looking down into his coffee mug, as the horror of what his friend was telling him sunk in before he looked back up at Mike.

"That's why I'm here. I need your help, Kenny, to catch this killer before he strikes again." Mike continued quietly.

"Of course, glad to help anyway we can." Kenny quickly reassured his friend before grabbing a pen to take some notes, "I'll get my guys on this straight away, I'll make it a top priority. Do you think the girls may have been local working gir-"

"Ahh, no, nothing we have found out about any of the girls have us believing they were working the streets here or anywhere but that's not quite the help that I am hoping for, Kenny," Mike interrupted.

Pausing with the pen in mid-air, Kenny frowned, "I don't understand, Mike, then what is it that you need?"

"We suspect the murderer is a member of the commune, but the commune members don't trust anyone from the so-called establishment."

"And we are part of the so-called establishment, I guess." Kenny murmured.

Mike nodded. "They're scared and are refusing to co-operate with the investigation. So, I'm hoping that we can use one of your guys to go in undercover. We need someone inside the commune to try and win the trust of some of the members and hopefully help get enough evidence to point us in the direction of a possible suspect. It will have to be someone young, someone who has worked undercover before, someone who will fit into the hippie lifestyle and who isn't well known on the streets yet…"

Kenny nodded in understanding as he held up his hand for Mike to stop as he said, "I think I might have just the guy you are looking for Mike, he's my newest and youngest inspector, Steve Keller. He's just turned twenty-five and still a little wet behind the ears, one of these new police university degree kids who are joining the force. He's only been on the job a few months and I managed to snap him up just after he joined uniform. He's not a local boy, born and raised in Modesto, but he settled here after graduating from Berkeley and I'm glad I took the chance on him. He's bright, real bright and a hell of a quick learner and a fast thinker on his feet and he's just finished an undercover gig that led to the arrest of one of the city's major gambling ring kingpins." A small smile crept onto Kenny's face as he looked past Mike's shoulder and watched the shaggy haired young man, whom he was speaking about, enter the bull pen with his partner. Looking back at Mike, he grinned as he rose to his feet and hurried towards his office door as he added over his shoulder, "And I think when you see him, you will agree that he would fit right into any hippy commune. Let me just call him into the office and let you meet him. I think you will agree that he will be perfect for the role."

xxxxxxx

"Oh, come on, Steve, my boy, now would I lie to you? I swear there were two of them and both were fighting over little ol' me!"

Steve Keller laughed, slapping his partner's shoulder as they walked across to their desks, "Are you sure that they were fighting over you and not fighting over which one of them could get out of the door the fastest after you said that corny opening line?"

"It wasn't corny!" Matt Loomings protested as they entered the Vice bull pen and headed to their desk, "It's one of my most effective pick-up…"

"Keller! Loomings! So nice both of you have finally decided to join us!" Lieutenant Mills growled from his office door as he glared at his two Inspectors as they turned and looked guiltily at him.

"Sorry Lieutenant," Keller said quietly, as he shrugged out of his jacket and hung it over the back of his chair, before he glanced quickly at his partner who was grinning at their lieutenant like a Cheshire cat.

"Sorry we're late, Kenny, I know you said to be here by seven, but the kid here overslept this morning and I had to drag his sorry ass out of bed!" Loomings chuckled, tilting his head in the direction of his young partner as he reached up and ruffled his partner's hair, winking at his lieutenant as he teased, "I swear Lieutenant, these college kids who keep joining SFPD are getting softer every day."

"And you two are getting later with handing in your paperwork every day." Mills admonished the older man, stifling the smile that twitched his lips as he saw Keller flinch at the gentle reprimand and turn quickly towards his desk.

"Just finishing the Hanson arrest report now, Lieutenant."

Mills nodded, cocking an eyebrow at Loomings as he ordered, "No Keller, your partner's going to finish the Hanson arrest report and he better have it on my desk in an hour." Before he looked back at his youngest inspector, "But I want you in my office, now!" Knowing that his orders would be followed, he turned and walked back to the chair behind his desk and sat back down.

Swallowing hard, Steve glanced questioningly across at his partner, who shrugged and whispered, "You better hurry up and get in there, he's waiting."

Nodding silently, Steve turned and slowly walked across to his Lieutenant's office and entered, casting a quick glance at the older man who was seated in front of the Lieutenant's desk, silently watching him, before looking back at Kenny and asking, "You wanted to see me, Lieutenant?"

"Yes Steve, close the door and take a seat." Mills ordered him softly.

Mike studied the young officer as Steve entered his lieutenant's office. Dressed in blue faded jeans, a light blue tee shirt and with shaggy hair grown a little longer than the departmental regulations, plus sporting a five o'clock shadow, no doubt the result of not having time to shave because he had slept in this morning, the young man already looked the part of a young hippy, Mike decided.

"Steve, this is Lieutenant Stone from Homicide," Mills began to make the introductions, wasting no time, as Steve entered the office and sat down. Steve only had time to turn towards the lieutenant sitting next to him and nod as Mills looked at Mike and rushed on, "Mike, this is the officer I've been telling you about, Steve Keller."

Mike smiled warmly as he turned to young inspector sitting beside him, "Good to meet you, son."

"Thank you, Sir." Steve return a small, uncertain smile, now aware that he had been the subject of their discussion before he had been called into Mills' office but not the reason why.

Ignoring the look of confusion on his inspector's face as Steve turned back to face him, Mills asked, "Steve, what do you know about the hippy commune just outside of Novato?"

Steve shrugged, "Not much sir, just that they're a group of hippies living on the old Rancho Olympica property in the forestry a few miles north of Novato."

"Anything else?" Mike asked, watching him closely.

Steve frowned, running his hand over his head before leaving it resting momentarily on the back of his neck, a gesture Mills had come to recognize was a habit the younger man did when he was feeling stressed or was thinking, before he dropped his hand back onto his lap and shrugged, "Not much, only that some guy by the name of Samuels, a brother of some big-time movie star, bought the property a few years ago and set up the commune and is reputed to be their guru. As far as I know there's been a few drug busts for dope, magic mushrooms and some acid…"

Mike nodded, watching the younger man closely, as he asked, "Have you ever had any contact with any of the commune members?"

Steve's frown deepened, and he slowly shook his head, "Umm, no Sir, not that I'm aware of. I mean, I had a few friends who decided to buck the system and who joined a couple of communes back when I was in Uni… but none of them were involved with the commune in Novato."

"You even spent some time on a commune yourself, didn't you, Steve?" Mills asked, seeing Mike's eyes widen at the question.

The younger man blushed slightly and shifted uncomfortably in his seat, confused on where this conversation was going, as the officer sitting next to him seemed to be waiting for his answer. "Umm, yeah, just for a couple of weeks when I was trying to decide about changing my major from Law to Police Science." A small smile slipped onto his lips as he fondly remembered those four, too short, weeks before it disappeared, and he remembered where he was. Looking back at the Homicide lieutenant sitting beside him, he quickly explained, "A friend of mine thought it might help me clear my mind and free my soul if I got back to nature for a while and joined him on a commune down near Los Angeles."

"And did it?" Mike smiled.

Steve blinked in surprise at the question before he asked, confused, "Did it what?"

"Did it help you clear your mind?"

"Yeah… yeah, you could say it did." Steve returned the smile before he grew serious and asked, "But excuse me Sir, what's this all about? I mean the questions about the commune and its members," before glancing across at Mills as he finished asking, "and about the time I spent in a commune?"

"I'm investigating the murders of six young women, all young, all have had various hallucinogenic drugs in their systems, all died from manual strangulation and all were last known to be living on-"

"The hippy commune." Steve finished Mike's sentence as he realized the link between the murders and the questions.

"Yes," Mike confirmed.

"But I don't understand, what does the girls' murders have to do with me and Vice?" Steve's confusion grew.

"We suspect that the murderer may be someone within the commune, itself. We know that one of the young women, Susan Hartman, reportedly never left the commune, not even to go with the other women and children of the commune when they went into Novato to grab supplies," Mike explained.

"And the members don't trust anyone who may be part of the 'Establishment' and aren't willing to co-operate." Steve nodded in understanding, "So you need someone whom they don't know from the investigation to go in and sus them out and I guess that someone might be me?"

"See, I told you the kid was bright, Mike," Mills said proudly.

Mike nodded distractedly, his eyes never leaving the young man sitting next to him, "It is, if you are willing to go undercover for me."

Running his hand over his head again, Steve quickly glanced at his proud lieutenant, who nodded encouragingly, before he looked back at Mike as a smile slipped back onto his lips, "Yeah, I will. A few weeks undercover on a commune sounds like fun. When do we get started?"

Mike smiled as he rose from his seat, "Right now," he announced before he stopped and looked back across at Mills, "That's if that's okay with your lieutenant?"

"Yeah, that's fine," Mills nodded before returning his attention back to his inspector and ordering, "So you better get out there, Keller, and break the news to your partner that he is going to be working solo for a while."

"Yes, Sir," Steve grinned as he rose from his seat and hurried out of the office.

Unable to stop the soft chuckle from escaping as he watched the young Inspector's excited exit from the office, Mike turned back to his friend behind the desk and smiled, "Thanks, Kenny."

Mills nodded, his eyes lingering on the young Inspector who was now talking excitedly to his partner in the bullpen before he looked back at Mike, "Just remember Mike, he's one of my guys, and I want him back in one piece when he's finished, so watch his back for me."

"You know I will," Mike reassured his friend before he turned and walked out into the bullpen.


	2. Chapter 2

Nearing the town limits of the small town of Novato, Mike felt his hands tighten around the steering wheel as his anxiety level began to rise and he found himself wondering if sending the young man beside him undercover was such a good idea after all, that maybe there was another way they could proceed. He sighed softly, aware that this was probably the only option left to them to investigate this case and bring in a killer before he could kill again.

The case, so far, had yield little leads and their knowledge about the commune, itself was extremely limited. The commune was established by the group's guru, Adrian Samuels, in November 1968 after he had moved to the Rancho Olympica property, leasing the land around the old Branston mansion, including a swimming pool and surrounding barns before a year later leasing the entire ranch. It was rumored among the Novato locals that Samuels had leased the whole ranch, before evicting a neighbor, who had been leasing another small part of the property and who had complained about seeing naked people swimming in the commune's swimming pool. Other than some small-time busts of commune members for possession of marijuana or LSD, the commune had so far managed to stay below the police radar.

Adrian Samuels' thorough background check had not yielded anything useful to the case. Born and raised in Pasadena, the thirty- seven-year-old commune guru had been a successful business man until his marriage had broken down a few years before and his wife had divorced him and taken their three children. It was then Samuels' appeared to have decided to seek a life of communal bliss and had leased the Rancho Olympica property, using the money from a large inheritance that his grandfather had left him. Gathering a collection of young people who were seeking peace and harmony around him, Samuels had so far stayed on the right side of the law.

Although the group's membership appeared to be fluid, with young members joining and others leaving, searching for whatever they were looking for somewhere else, background checks on the core members of the commune had also proved fruitless. Although a couple of the members had minor police records ranging from minor charges for drug possession or charges relating to their involvements in various protests both against the war in Vietnam to the demands to change society, no one had any records for the type of violence that had been inflicted on the victims.

The victims! Mike felt his heart race as he cast a quick glance at the young inspector sitting beside him looking out of the window. The murdered body of a young man from the commune had been found the day before- so badly beaten that almost every bone in his face had been broken and he was so unrecognizable he was only able to be identified by fingerprints taken when he had a minor drug bust rap a year before. His body, like two of the bodies of the six young women, had been found floating in the bay.

Uncertain of why the murderer had suddenly changed his M.O. and had now murdered a man, or if there had been previous male victims whom they had been unaware of because, unlike the bodies of the young women whose bodies had been found floating in the bay or washed up along the bay's shores, their bodies had been washed out to sea, had Mike worried. The undercover case had now taken a dangerous turn and the two days of setting up a viable cover and preparing Steve for going undercover no longer seemed like enough time to get him fully into the role he would have to pull off, but time was against them.

"Okay, let's go through your cover story one last time." Mike ordered gruffly, casting another quick glance towards his passenger as they entered Novato and cruised through the small town, past Lee who was parked in an old beaten up farming truck across the road from a row of small tired looking shops watching a small group of hippies as they entered one of the grocery shops.

If Steve recognized the Homicide inspector who had helped him learn his role for this undercover stint sitting in the old truck across from the shops, he never showed it as he turned back towards Mike and quickly slipped into his undercover persona, "My name is Steve Roberts. I'm from Denver, Colorado, my mom and dad still live there, as well as my younger sister, but I couldn't take living by their establishment rules anymore, so I decided it was time for me to pack my bags and hit the road."

"So why California?" Mike asked as he returned his attention back to the road and continued down the highway, leaving the small town behind them.

"Why not California?" Steve shrugged nonchalantly before he frowned in annoyance and asked, "Look man, why all the questions? I'm just lookin' for somewhere to chill for a while. Maybe find my own little piece of Nirvana," before he grinned cheekily and added, "or maybe even a foxy lady or two…"

Mike nodded as he looked at Steve again, who seemed quite relaxed with going undercover. Dressed in an old pair of jeans, a red tee-shirt and a faded blue denim jacket which had several different patches roughly hand sown on the front of the jacket and a large white peace sign painted on the back and with his shaggy hair that spilled over the jacket's collar, Steve looked every part of a young man who wanted to drop out of society. "Both Lee and I will be staying at the Best Western Hotel. We'll be staying in town to investigate the latest murder and so we can keep a bit of an eye on you. So, I want you to report in daily just like we arranged."

Steve frowned, "I'm not sure I-"

"I mean it, Inspector, I want you to report in daily…" Mike reiterated sternly as the radio suddenly crackled to life and he heard Lee's voice _, "Inspector 8-2 to Inspector 8-1, come in please."_ Snatching up the mic as he returned his attention back to the road, Mike depressed the mic's button and snapped, "Inspector 8-1."

_"Mike, it's Lee, they have just left the grocery shop and are headed your way. I'll give them a couple of minutes to get ahead before I follow."_

"Thanks Lee," Mike answered, glancing down at the mileage, "We're about two miles north of town. Just make sure you stay back far enough not to draw any attention."

_"Will do."_

Snagging the mic back down on its hook, Mike turned onto a small dirt track and parked behind a line of trees that helped to block sight of the car from any one driving along the main road.

Turning off the engine, he turned quickly to face Steve as Steve reached back to snag the rucksack from the back seat. "Listen Steve, I want you to be careful and don't take any unnecessary chances. We still don't know who we are dealing with."

"I won't." Steve promised as he turned and reached for the door handle.

Grabbing Steve's arm, momentarily halting his egress from the vehicle, Mike waited until the young man turned back and looked at him questioningly before he added firmly, "I just want you to know that Lee and I will have your back as much as we can."

Steve smiled and nodded as he climbed out of the car, "I know, Sir."

"And I will pull you out at the first sign of trouble." Mike added as Steve slung the rucksack over his shoulder, adjusting it until it was comfortable to carry.

"I know that, too." Steve smiled before he turned and headed through the tree line back towards the main road, giving Mike a confident wave of his hand as he called out over his shoulder, "Catch you later, man."

Mike nodded, his brow creasing with worry, as he watched Steve, through the tree line, reach the edge of the main road and begin to walk in the direction of the park. Holding his breath as he heard the Kombi van approaching in the distance, he never took his eyes of the young inspector as Steve turned back in the direction of the approaching van and held out his thumb. He could feel his heart beating hard in his chest as the van belonging to the commune members, who had just left town, slowed down and pulled over before Steve approached the van and spoke to the occupants before climbing in.

He shook his head and released his breath in a soft whoosh of relief as the van drove away, followed a minute or two later by Lee's pick-up truck. He had not been sure that the plan Keller had suggested, while working out how he could infiltrate the commune, of being picked up hitchhiking by the commune members after they had finished their weekly shopping trip into Novato would really work. Now all Mike could do was wait and see if the young Vice officer would be welcome into the commune.

Reaching the roads edge, Steve turned as he heard the van approaching before he put his thumb out and continued to walk backwards as the battered, old blue Kombi came over the crest of the hill. Dropping his hand as the van rolled to a gentle stop just in front of him, he jogged the few steps to the side of the van as the passenger window wound down and the young man sitting in the front passenger seat asked, "Where are you headed?"

Looking up to get a better look at the passenger, Steve shrugged and smiled, "Where ever the wind blows me, man."

"Hop in," the passenger invited as the rear door opened, revealing several young people sitting in the rear of the van.

"Thanks," Steve grinned as the sweet, pungent odor of marijuana smoke wafted out of the van. Shrugging his rucksack off his shoulder, he tossed it inside before clambering in himself as two of the passengers smiled up at him and moved apart to make room for him to sit as the door slammed closed behind him. He only had enough time to cross to the over side of the van and attempt to sit down before the van started with a loud, smoky backfire and a hard jolt, causing him to fall against the young man next to him. "Sorry," he apologized as he quickly sat up and leaned back against the van's wall.

"Hey, it's cool man," the other man grinned as he shuffled side wards a little to give Steve a little more room to get comfortable as he introduced himself, "I'm Noah. And this is Sunshine." The young girl sitting beside him raised her hand in a friendly wave as he continued the introductions over the loud roar of the van's engine, nodding in the direction of each of the other five people sitting in the rear of the van, "Tommy, Angel, Savannah, Bulldog and the guy sitting over there, not sharing, is River."

Taking a large drag on the joint he held to his lips, River raised his hand in a welcome wave before he lowered the joint and released his breath in a large plume of white smoke. "Up yours, Noah," he grinned as he tapped the back of the front passenger seat and passed the joint to the front seat passenger as the young man in the front passenger seat swiveled the seat around to face them.

Accepting the joint, he took a large drag, momentarily closing his eyes and holding his breath, enjoying the initial effects of the drug as it entered his lungs before he re-opened eyes and released his breath, allowing the smoke to escape as he spoke, "I'm Lucas," Tapping the driver's shoulder and offering him the joint, shaking his head when the driver shook his head 'No' and looked up into the rear vision mirror. Lucas shrugged, cocking his head in the driver's direction before handing the joint across to Sunshine as he spoke, "And tall, dark and sullen here is Marcus."

Sunshine giggled as she accepted the joint, taking it delicately between her thumb and forefinger before putting it up to her lips and taking a puff before handing what was left to Steve.

"I'm Steve," Steve smiled, aware that Lucas was watching him as he juggled the small sliver of the joint between his fingers in an attempt to stop it from burning his fingers as he tried to keep his balance as the van bounced over the rough road.

"So, where are you headed, Steve?"

Steve shrugged, aware that both Noah and Lucas were watching him as he took a small drag on the remnants of the joint that he had been handed. Slowly releasing the mouthful of smoke, he relaxed back against the van wall, passing what was left of the joint back to Noah before he closed his eyes and answered, "Where ever, man, just as long as I'm free."

Accepting the fingernail length sliver of tobacco paper that contained just the last couple of shreds of marijuana leaves, Noah grinned as he looked at Steve before he looked across at Lucas, who nodded his approval, "Hey Dude, if you wanna opt out of the man's rules and chill out for a while without the establishment breathin' down ya neck, you're more than welcome to hang with us."

Opening one eye, Steve looked at Noah, "You mean like in sort of commune?"

Noah nodded, his grin never fading, "Yeah."

"Cool!" Steve grinned, opening both his eyes and sitting up a little straighter, as Sunshine slipped her hand into his and gave it a small, excited squeeze.

xxxxxxx

Staying as far back as he dared without losing sight of the van traveling in front of him, Lee cursed as the pick-up bounced over another large bump in the uneven dirt road and his head slammed against the roof of the pick-up. Easing his foot slightly off the accelerator, he tried to steer, unsuccessfully, around the next large pothole, cursing again as his head hit the side window and the van containing the young Vice officer and the group of hippies whom they were investigating disappeared from his sight around a distant curve.

Pressing a little harder on the accelerator, he found himself fighting the steering wheel as the pick-up bounced and slid along the road. He momentarily lost traction as he hit a muddy patch on the road before he regained it again as he sped around the corner and accelerated past the driveway that led up to the old Branston mansion where the old battered Kombi van was stopped in front of the gate.

Watching in his rear vision mirror as one of the hippies climbed out of the van and opened the gate before the van drove through and the gate was securely closed again, he reached for his mic. Depressing the mic button, he called. "Inspector 8-2 to Inspector 8-1."

Mike responded almost immediately leaving Lee with no doubts that Mike had been waiting anxiously for his radio call as he heard Mike's reply of, _'Inspector 8-1.'_

"Looks like he's in, Mike, they have just arrived back to the commune."

He waited for a moment for Mike's reply of, _'Okay Lee, it's up to Keller now, let's meet back up at the hotel.'_

Glancing back in the rear vision mirror as the driveway to the ranch disappeared behind a cluster of trees, Lee depressed the mic's button again and answered slowly, "Okay Mike, will do."


	3. Chapter 3

Pulling up in front of the grand old mansion, Markus turned off the ignition key, killing the engine before he turned and watched as River stood up and opened the rear door, and the van's rear occupants all began to scramble out. His eyes linger for a minute on the young man whom they had just picked up as Steve followed the others out and now stood uncertainly next to the van, looking around, before he climbed out of the van, himself, and walked around the van to stand join to Lucas.

"How about we start getting some of these supplies inside," Lucas smiled as the van's passengers began to remove the supplies they had bought in town from the back of the van. "And Sunshine, why don't you take Steve inside, help him get settled in, and then show him around."

"Sweet," Sunshine grinned as she grabbed Steve's hand and began to drag him towards the house as she announced excitedly, "Come on, Steve, you heard the Man, let's get you settled …"

Shaking his head in amusement as he watched Sunshine pull Steve towards the house, Lucas heard a soft, guttural growl from the man who was now standing beside him. Turning back to look the angry man standing beside him, Lucas placed his hand on Marcus's shoulder as he gently rebuked the upset man, "Hey Dude, I think you need to take a chill pill. I know you think that Sunshine is one hot mama but here's the skinny, brother, the last time I checked, she ain't your ol' lady. You keep actin' like some la la every time she talks to or even looks at another dude, you're goin' scare her away and she goin' run, just like Linda." He turned to watch Sunshine as she and Steve entered the house, before he returned his attention back to the large man standing next to him who had been watching their every move, he slapped Marcus on the shoulder, "So man, if ya want my advice, just forget Sunshine and who she is trying to hook up with, we have more important things to worry about right now." He waited until he had Marcus's attention again before he asked, "Did you notice the red pick-up truck?"

"Yeah, the one that sat way back and tailed us all the way back from town. I figured it was just the fuzz, probably looking for a reason to pull another raid." Marcus nodded as they started walking towards the house, before he looked sideways at his friend and asked, "What about it?"

"I don't know, but I've got some bad vibes about it," Lucas answered slowly as he glanced back over his shoulder towards the empty road just beyond the gate.

"What sort of bad vibes, Dude?" Marcus frowned, as he stopped walking and turned to face Lucas.

Lucas quickly looked around to ensure no one else could eavesdrop into their conversation before he answered softly, "I told you, man, I don't know, but I got the lowdown that there are a couple of 'Frisco cops in town, asking questions about the commune."

"'Frisco cops? Why would they be interested in us?" Marcus frowned nervously, quickly looking around.

"Dude, it's the Man. And we both know that the Man loves to ask questions," Lucas sighed as they began to walk slowly towards the house again, "But this time they're asking questions about commune and about Linda, Angel, and some of the other girls who have left."

"Linda?" Markus suddenly stopped walking and quickly turned his head to look at Lucas, snapping. "What about Linda?"

"Hey chill, man, just chill!" Lucas hissed softly as he roughly grabbed Markus's arm and led him up the front stairs, "All I know is they are asking questions in town if anyone knows the girls or about the time they spent in the commune or when was the last time anyone saw them around. We both know Linda's a run-away, I'm betting her oldies freaked out, maybe all the girls' oldies freaked out, when they found out the girls were living on a commune and decided to send in the National Guard. There's no need to freak out, not yet. The fuzz knows jack squat about our little side business and I intend to keep it like that, so until the heats off, all deals are off until I say otherwise."

Markus gave a single tight nod as the screen door swung open and Sunshine emerged, still leading Steve by the hand as she smiled brightly at the two men, "I'm just going to show Steve around a little before lunch. Oh, and Nancy said to tell you, lunch will be ready in about half an hour. She wants you to know she's cooking your favorite," Sunshine's nose wrinkled up a little as she continued with the message she had been asked to pass on, "her famous chicken stew and dumplings."

Smiling as he stepped aside to allow Steve and Sunshine to pass, Lucas nodded, "Awesome."

"It is, if you like eating dry chicken leather and rocks," Sunshine giggled as she wrapped Steve's arm around her shoulders and started to descend the stairs, whispering something to the young man she was showing around that Lucas could not catch before she peeked back over her shoulder to see if Markus was watching her.

Glancing at the man standing beside him, Lucas could see the angry flash of jealousy on Markus's face as he watched Sunshine snuggle closer to Steve as she led him towards the stables. Lightly grabbing the other man's arm, Lucas guided him towards the front door as he said softly, "Ignore her, dude, we both know she is a tease."

Markus sighed and nodded as he followed Lucas inside, "What do you want to do about him?"

"Who? Steve?" Lucas frowned as the screen door slammed shut behind them.

"Yeah," Markus nodded. "Don't you think it's a bit funky that he turns up when the fuzz are about asking questions?"

"No, not really, lots of kids like him show up here looking for Nirvana, he's just another. Besides, man, think about it, he was hitch hiking, there's no way he could have planned on us picking him up and bringing him here." Seeing his mistrust of Steve clearly written across Markus's face, and suspecting the mistrust had to do more with Sunshine's flirting with the younger man, than the possibility that Steve was not who he claimed to be, Lucas reluctantly agreed as they walked across the large foyer towards the ornate carved staircase that led up to the second floor, "But if it makes you feel any better, then get one of the guys to keep a close eye on him. Now come on, Adrian is going to want to know what's going on."

xxxxxx

After lightly knocking on the motel door, Hawkins tucked the file he was holding under his arm before he quickly adjusted his utility belt around his ample waist and ran his fingers across his head, in a vain but futile attempt to cover the growing bald patch on the top with a few thin grey wisps of his remaining hair. Grabbing the file from beneath his arm, he raised his hand to knock again but before he could the door opened, and he found himself about to knock on the chest of the San Francisco police lieutenant.

Quickly dropping his hand, he stepped past Mike and entered the room, glancing across at the several files that were scattered across one of the beds. "I thought that you might want to see this as soon as it landed on my desk," he announced as he turned back towards Mike who had closed the door behind him and handed him the file, "It's the coroner's report and all the info your boys were able to collect on our latest victim, David Cummins. The coroner reports states that cause of death was a combination of blunt force trauma and a drug overdose, from what you told me about the state of the body, there's no real surprise there."

Mike opened the file that the police chief had handed him at the door and found himself staring at the face of a young man who looked not much younger than the young inspector whom he had sent into the commune, undercover. Looking back up at Hawkins, he watched the Novato Police Chief walk across to the small bench that lined on side of the room and picked up one of the coffee mugs, sitting beside a pot of coffee, and held it up at Mike.

Mike nodded before he glanced down at the photo again and asked, "Did you know him?"

"I thought I did, he was one of our local kids, grew up right here in town. But I guess I only knew him about as well as I know any of those kids who live on the commune, I suppose," the chief shrugged as he grabbed a second mug and poured coffee into both, before adding sugar and cream, and handing one of the mugs to Mike. Picking up the second mug, he sat down on the empty bed and held the mug between his hands as he continued, "He up and left town in the middle of the night about six or seven years ago, he must have been about fifteen or sixteen when he ran. I'm not sure just why he ran but if I had to guess, I would say he was running to get away from his father, not that I can blame the kid."

"His father?" Mike asked.

"Yeah, John Cummins, he was one of our local farmers who sold up and moved into town just after his wife died of cancer, only a few short months after David was born. John loved that boy, raised him all on his own. He wanted the best for David, and I guess that's why he pushed the kid so hard to do his best and be the best at everything and if he didn't well…" The police chief's voice trailed off as he stared down into his coffee before he took a large breath and looked back at Mike and quietly admitted, "I wasn't surprised when David ran like he did, I knew straight away when his father reported him missing, the reason why he ran. Hell, everyone in the town knew why. But after that John was a broken man, took to drinking, probably to drown his guilt, not that anyone around here could blame him. He loved that kid with all his heart and he had driven David away. Then about a year ago later, John got drunk and crashed his car into a tree. Officially, our investigation found what happened was just a tragic accident, but unofficially, I knew - "

"It was suicide." Mike breathed.

"Yeah, but I never realized just how strained things must have gotten between the two of them until David didn't even come back for his father's funeral. He first showed back up about six months ago, at least, that's when I first noticed him coming into town with the other members of the commune. Except, when he came back, he was using the hippy name, Phoenix, you know like the mythical bird that rose from the ashes."

Sitting down on the edge of the other bed, Mike nodded as he took a small sip of coffee.

"I remember thinking that he probably thought that by joining the commune, he had been reborn or something, but who knows with these kids today, all they seem to be interested in is 'free loving', protesting or getting high. Leaves you wondering just what this world is coming to." Hawkins shook his head in a mixture of bewilderment and disgust, before he sighed, "You know that a few years ago, Novato was a real nice, family friendly town. We had 'Western Weekends' and even a beard growing contest once a year sponsored by ol' Bob Clements who owns Bob's Barber shop. Mind you," the police chief chuckled as he looked across at Mike, "I think that contest was more just a way to boost Bob's business. For days after the contest, his business would be booming with men wanting their beards they had grown for the contest shaved."

He paused as the door to the room opened and Lee stepped inside, closing the door softly behind him. Nodding a quick greeting to the young inspector, Hawkins looked back at Mike and grew serious, "But that was all before Samuels leased the Rancho Olympica property and set up his hippy commune."

Mike paused as from taking another sip of coffee, lowering the cup back down as he frowned, confused, "I didn't think the members of commune caused many problems in town?"

"You know a few weeks ago, I would have said they weren't but that was before the bodies of commune's members started showing up, floating in the bay. Now I have not only a murderer running around, but also several of our local hotheads who heard about the murders and who are now talking about getting an old fashion posse together and running the hippies out of town." Hawkins sighed again and rubbed a hand over the five o'clock stubble that was growing on his chin as he looked across at Lee before returning his attention back to Mike and admitting his greatest fear, "I feel like I am sitting on a powder keg, Mike, and just one little spark will set it off and if word gets out that David was the latest victim…"

"Do you think there could be trouble?" Lee asked, casting a quick worried glance at Mike before looking back at the Novato police chief as Bob Hawkins pushed off the bed with one hand and slowly rose to his feet.

"I hope not, but I have one of my boys keeping a close eye on things." Placing the empty mug back on the bench, Hawkins adjusted his utility belt again in an attempt to get it to sit comfortably around his waist and headed towards the door, "I better get going, one of my boys called in sick, so we are a little short-handed today, but will keep you updated if anything happens."

"Thanks, Bob," Mike smiled as the chief waved his hand as Hawkins pulled the door opened the door and went outside.

Waiting until the door closed behind the police chief, Lee turned and looked at Mike, "So do you think he's right, Mike, do you think there's going to be trouble?"

Mike shook his head as he stared at the closed door, and sighed worriedly, regretting sending the young officer undercover in what was becoming a far more dangerous situation than he had ever imagined, as he breathed softly, "I hope not."


End file.
